diff --git a/spawn.c b/spawn.c
index 3a211e3c5..09eec948d 100644
--- a/spawn.c
+++ b/spawn.c
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ spawn_window(struct spawn_context *sc, char **cause)
 	/* Set the name of the new window. */
 	if (~sc->flags & SPAWN_RESPAWN) {
 		free(w->name);
-		if (sc->name == NULL || *sc->name == '\0')
+		if (sc->name == NULL)
 			w->name = default_window_name(w);
 		else {
 			w->name = xstrdup(sc->name);